one last studied insult by the ARRL

the ARRL ever eagar to insult the tech class and the NoCoders in general has scheluded one last insult code tests on the Eve the begining of the new Eraby there deeds we know and will long remember this last (I hope last prehaps the ARRL divise some further insult)from The ARRL Letter, Vol 26, No 06 Website: http://www.arrl.org/ on February 9, 2007 View comments about this article! W1AW Special Event, Midnight Exam Sessions to Mark New Amateur Rules:As new Amateur Radio Service rules phase in Friday, February 23, eliminating the Morse code requirement, Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will mark the milestone with a weekend-long special event. In addition, a number of Central Connecticut volunteer examiners will be on hand at ARRL Headquarters -- both before and after the new rules become effective at 12:01 AM EST -- to offer Amateur Radio examinations under the current and new rules. ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND, is helping to coordinate the celebration. He says Headquarters staff and other volunteers will keep W1AW active for the "Welcome Weekend" event. "W1AW will be on the air all weekend for this special event to celebrate the fact that so many amateurs have gained or will earn new privileges as a result of the rule changes," he said. "The station will operate starting at 12:01 AM Eastern Time on Friday, February 23, continuing into the wee hours and resuming operation during the day. Then W1AW will be on the air on both days of the weekend, from 10 AM until 5 PM -- perhaps longer as conditions and enthusiasm dictate." Operation will be on both SSB and CW. W1AW operators will concentrate their activities on the Technician and General class HF subbands. On SSB, the station will use its normal phone frequencies -- 1.811, 3.990, 7.290, 14.290, 18.160 and 21.390 MHz. On 10 meters, W1AW will operate SSB on or about 28.480 MHz. Henderson says operating will be casual unless pileups develop. "The purpose is to welcome newcomers to new privileges," he said. "First Contact" certificates will be available as part of this event. ARRL invites anyone making a first contact or first HF contact to enter the contact information on the ARRL "Welcome Weekend" Web site http://www.arrl.org/HFWelcome/ and receive a certificate in return. "If the first contact is with W1AW we will also be including a W1AW QSL card for the contact," Henderson added. The ARRL anticipates a huge influx of upgrade applications once the Morse code requirement disappears. In addition, all Technician licensees will have limited HF privileges starting February 23, whether or not they've passed a Morse code test. Amateur Radio exam sessions both before and after the zero hour will offer an opportunity for applicants either to upgrade under the outgoing licensing rules at the last possible opportunity or under the new licensing rules at the first possible opportunity. "Dual exam sessions are scheduled at ARRL Headquarters around the effective time of the new licensing rules," says Brennan Price, N4QX, a former ARRL staff member and an ARRL VEC volunteer examiner. "At 11 PM on February 22, a session will be held for candidates wishing to upgrade under the existing rules. A few folks have expressed interest in such a session." Price says all Amateur Radio written and telegraphy elements will be offered until midnight. "At 12:01 AM February 23, a second session will begin under the new licensing rules," he said. "Examiners will not only be evaluating previously earned Certificates of Successful Completion of Exam (CSCEs) for upgrades, but will be offering all written elements." Two teams of volunteer examiners will be on site until all applicants have been served. On or after February 23, applicants upgrading on the basis of a valid CSCE must present the certificate for element credit, fill out an application and pay any applicable exam session fee, which most VECs charge. Only after the VE team has issued a CSCE for upgrade credit may applicants actually use their new operating privileges on the air. Additional details and more information will be available on the ARRL Web site in the days leading up to February 23. Source: The ARRL Letter Vol. 26, No. 06 February 9, 2007